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Sat 12 Dec 2006Graduation of first 36 reservists 'a new chapter' for GardaThe establishment of the Garda Reserve marks the commencement of a new and exciting chapter of policing in the Republic, said Minister for Justice Michael McDowell yesterday as he congratulated the first 36 members of the reserve force to graduate.Mr McDowell welcomed the decision of the Garda representative associations to accept the new reserve and said he believed gardaí on the beat accepted that the reserve would bring huge benefits to the force in terms of the resources at its disposal.